Do you need Work Permit for doing Clinical Observership?

[baishakh]

Hi,

My wife has cleared PRES exam with the Irish Medical Council and she is now a registered Doctor in Ireland. Currently, she is looking for Clinical Observership to get Irish experience which might help her to get a job eventually.

She has been residing in Ireland for over 5 years in the dependent visa and our understanding has been she can do Clinical Observership if a Consultant is happy to provide such position. Clinical Observership is unpaid and is to get experience only. At the same time, a person cannot even deal with the patients or administer medicine at that time. This is clearly for the experience purpose.

She already found a Consultant who is willing to support Clinical Observership. Unfortunately, HR is saying without work-permit Clinical Observership is not allowed.

It came up as a huge surprise as this is an unpaid position and also she will not be even working with the Patients.

Can anyone shed some light on to this? We already knew few of her friends did Observership before and this was never an issue.

Is the law changed recently? Or I presume the HR is not clear enough and just causing issues.

[IggyB]

I think law has changed recently.

Non-EEA Doctors - Immigration & Working Arrangements

Notice – new arrangements for locum doctors under the Atypical Working Scheme effective from 02 June 2015:

Locum doctors engaged in –

the Primary Care Sector (General Practice)
the Hospital Sector

Following a review of arrangements under the Atypical Working Scheme in respect of such doctors, new arrangements recommended by the Health Service Executive, the Department of Health and the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation have been agreed by those bodies and INIS.

All Stamp 1 immigration permissions are granted on the basis of the doctor remaining in the posting as stated on the Employment Permit and for the duration of the immigration permission granted.
Doctors holding immigration permission Stamp 1 may not set up any type of business, medical or GP practice without applying for specific business permission to do so. See the Immigration/Business Permission section of this website for further information in this regard.

The onus rests with health service employers (public and private) and all doctors to ensure compliance with all employment requirements.

[baishakh]

@IggyB - it's not locum - its clinical observership, not even paid.

[Visique]

No she doesn't need a work permit , Some HR managers are quite unaware of the rules and what Observership means . She can contact IMC and get documentation / email from them regarding the same.

Only requirement is registration with IMC.